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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stock · pound · cap · spell · net · firm

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. firm — decided
  3. stock — shares
  4. net — for catching
  5. spell — magic
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. pound — a weight
  9. net — after costs
  10. cap — of ice
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cap — a lid
  13. stock — goods
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. cap — a hat
  16. net — in sport
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — letters

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com